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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23098699">Another Place</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_jedi_ninja/pseuds/the_jedi_ninja'>the_jedi_ninja</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Short One Shot, soft angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:09:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>840</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23098699</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_jedi_ninja/pseuds/the_jedi_ninja</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"As he ascended the staircase the too familiar notes of “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” floated up after them and Geralt grimaced."</p><p>During a period of separation, Geralt tries to avoid being seen by Jaskier at an inn they both happen to be at.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Another Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Geralt ducked his head as he passed through the door of the dark and dingy tavern. As he did so, a familiar voice hit his ears and he swore internally. How in Hells’ Teeth had he managed to end up in the same backwater village as Jaskier? If the Witcher could have stayed somewhere else that night he would have done, but this village was so tiny that it was the only place with a bed for miles.<br/>
So instead of turning around and leaving like he wanted to Geralt walked as unobtrusively  to the bar as he could and asked for a bed for the night.</p><p>The man behind the bar looked him up and down before grunting and leading him up a narrow flight of winding stairs at the back of the building. As he ascended the staircase the too familiar notes of “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” floated up after them and Geralt grimaced. He hoped it was just coincidence and not a subtle message from Jaskier that he’d been spotted.</p><p>Hours later and Geralt was fed and watered from a woman he assumed to be the owner’s daughter. She had also kindly run a bath for him whilst making eyes at the Witcher, but he’d pretended not to notice, dismissing her with a few paltry coins for her trouble. He was just oiling his weapons when a knock came softly on his door.<br/>
Jaskier.<br/>
Geralt had smelt him before the knock had come, but had silently prayed he was simply making his way to his own room for the night. It looked like his hopes had not come to pass.</p><p>“Geralt, it’s me, Jaskier,” came the completely unnecessary whisper from the other side of the door.  Geralt made his way silently across the floor of the room and placed his hand on the latch hesitantly. He didn’t want to let Jaskier in. It was only a few months ago he’d managed to shake the bard and Geralt wasn’t ready to have him tagging along on his work again. He knew that at some point Jaskier would reattach himself to Geralt like he always did, he just didn’t want it to be quite so soon.<br/>
It wasn’t that he didn’t like Jaskier. Well, didn’t like him less than other people at any rate, but he found him difficult to be around. The Bard was small and fleshy, easily injured, a distraction during fighting. Geralt didn’t want to deal with that right now.</p><p>Geralt whispered back through the door. “How did you even find out what room was mine?”<br/>
Geralt could almost hear Jaskier smile thought the door. “ Come on Geralt, you know how charming I can be. Now open up.”<br/>
“No,” came the reply. Geralt wasn’t going to let this boy in. If he did so, Jaskier would want to know what he was hunting, and then he’d want to come and that would spell all sorts of trouble for the Witcher.<br/>
Jaskier half laughed at the response and it sent a shock of longing through Geralt that caught him completely unawares. There was a pause whilst neither of them said anything and Geralt made no move to actually open the door.<br/>
“Are you waiting for me to offer to buy the ale? Because I will. The patrons were very generous tonight!”<br/>
“I’m not going for a drink with you,” growled Geralt though the door. “You’ll only want to come with me tomorrow.”<br/>
“Well now you mention it…” replied Jaskier. “Although I was also hoping to catch up with an old friend.”<br/>
“No,” repeated Geralt.<br/>
“Oh, shit,” said Jaskier. “You’re being serious.”</p><p>Geralt could picture him perfectly on the other side of the door, his whole body deflating. Jaskier  always spoke too much with his body and hands. For a moment the Witcher was tempted to rip the door of its hinges and go for a drink with his bard. But he didn’t.</p><p>“Next time Jaskier. It’s too dangerous.”<br/>
“It’s been dangerous before!” protested Jaskier. “What’s the real reason?”<br/>
Geralt sighed. He’d forgotten how precocious Jaskier was.<br/>
“Go away Jaskier.” It was all he could summon to say. Geralt couldn’t even tell himself fully why he was so against opening the door and letting Jaskier back into his life at this point in time. He enjoyed the bard’s company on his travels, he added laughter as well as exasperation into his otherwise somewhat solitary existence.</p><p>There was only silence on the other side of the door but Geralt could still smell Jaskier standing there. After a few moments there was a defeated sigh.<br/>
“Fine. But I’ll need more material for songs soon. And then I’ll get the tale of this adventure off you and why it was supposedly too dangerous for me to come.”</p><p>Geralt stood with his forehead pressed to the cold wood of the door, listening as Jaskier’s footsteps faded away. When he was sure the corridor was once again empty Geralt whispered into the silence.<br/>
“It’s because you make me feel more human…”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As usual, the final line came to me and I had to write a scene around it.<br/>Not be desperate on main, but I thrive off comments! If there were any lines in particular that stood out to you, please let me know!</p><p>So all I know of The Witcher comes from gifs, fan art, and random text posts on Tumblr. Mainly from https://daryshkart.tumblr.com/ tbh<br/>Did you notice?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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